In A Thousand Words
by KandyKitten
Summary: Some moments have an impact, they define a life and, maybe, change a man completely. Spock's character development in ten 100-Word Drabbles. Nothing too spoilery. Mostly gen, some friendship and romance
1. The Academy

1. Departure

The barely controlled surprise, maybe even anger in his father's voice is still clear in his mind when he boards the ferry.

The Vulcan Science Academy was a great chance. More than many others, including the bullies from his childhood, can wish for, but he does not have a choice.

Maybe one day, father will understand, he thinks, as the spaceship rises. His mother does, she told him she was proud, he could see the contentment, maybe amusement, in her eyes and that was enough.

Starfleet, the place for cast-outs, lies ahead.

They leave Vulcan. He never looks back.

* * *

2. Sum

He was neither one nor the other, _k'shatrisu_, a foreigner and outsider amongst both races.

With all his flaws, his imperfectness, his emotion swirling beyond the surface, Vulcan society could not accept him. With his stoicism, his detachedness, he was too cold, too clinical for the humans to see him as anything but strange, scary, even.

Spock was the piece that did not fit, the math that did not add up.

He had long accepted he would never be enough when Pike puts a hand on his arm and says, "You are more than the sum of your parts."

* * *

3. Gravitate

He was not sure what caused her to gravitate towards him, but she did, she came to him whenever she had the chance.

She said she wanted to practice her Vulcan, but more and more often, he found himself sitting beside her on the campus, speaking Standard, and he found that he did not mind. If anything, he mildly enjoyed their meetings.

It takes Nyota a year before she first winds her arms around his neck and kisses him.

It takes Spock a year and a kiss to finally understand the emotion they both feel every time their skins brush.

* * *

Written for a challenge: 10 drabbles, all 100 words long, explaining the most significant moments in a character's development. Here's my take. Enjoy!


	2. The Ship

4. Eventual

The loss of his mother is, personally, the greatest, yet the snapped bonds, the collective experience of over 6 billion people dying tears at his mind with a force that doesn't allow details.

After destroying the _Narada_ , he finally finds the time to meditate in his quarters…to count his losses. T'Pring's death shocks him into waking up.

They did not love each other, the last time they have spoken is more than twelve years past and she must have known about Nyota…but he still wishes he could have explained to her.

He wishes they had not parted in argument.

* * *

5. Natural

He cannot help but to wonder about himself and this men, steadfast and carefree, vulnerable and confident.

The cruelest words have flown, he had chocked Kirk with the intention the kill. Not quite two hours later, he cockily slapped him on the shoulder. Then, on the _Narada_, he demanded full trust and Spock obliged, followed every command, left his life in Kirk's hands.

A stranger, waking such trust, such _obedience_ in him. It has never happened to him before, but he cannot deny it.

Kirk is a natural-born captain and he wants to be at his side on the bridge.

* * *

6. Home

He can hear steel gates opening, the ferry's thrusters humming behind him as he moves through the hangar.

The thin connection he has with his father pales into nothingness when he exits the Turbolift, steps into the almost sterile brightness of the bridge, but he pays it no heed.

Logically, he should be on his way to the new colony, help to rebuild a culture, a race, a family, a home. But here, on the _Enterprise_, standing behind this hothead he has yet to figure out, he knows staying was the right thing to do.

He already is at home.

* * *

Second draft...kind of a missing-scenes scenario during the first movie. Next time focuses more on the personal relationship again...so 'till tomorrow!

Star Treck isn't mine. I'm just playing a little.


	3. The Friends

7. Reliable

He had wondered why Pike would keep Kirk and reassign him to another ship instead. Melding with the dying man, he gets more answers than he wanted.

He sees deep friendship, respect, love, gratitude …and…disappointment… mistrust…because he stuck to the rules, not to his captain. It hurts him, badly, and he knows Pike can feel it, too. They try to make amends, but Pike's pain is distracting, his mind fades.

He mourns the death of a friend, but simultaneously, he makes a promise: Jim Kirk will never feel like this about him…never again.

From now on, he will be reliable.

* * *

8. Control

Giving in to feelings was like a spacejump.

It was a fast descent, a string of simultaneous, hazy impressions, it was a beautiful, but dangerous, uncontrolled, illogical rush…and he was still in the ship, not able to will his hands to unclench and drop, not able to acquiesce and let go.

The Vulcan language has a word for it. K'oh-nar. The fear of losing control.

He harbored that fear until he learned that there was something more horrible.

Seeing the life breaking in his best friend's eyes, Spock finds that letting go is the easiest thing he has ever done.

* * *

Part three...is a little short, sorry^^

I know that scene with Pike isn't exactly canon and that they wanted to give Pike and Kirk a father/son relationship, but still, I loved that Spock and Pike were so close that he would even betray Kirk for his sake and i missed that a little in the movies, so...just pretend they're close^^

Next time, day after tomorrow, is probably last, so till then!


	4. The Family

9. Friends

He sees a nervous cadet taking the Kubayashi-Maru. For years, he was secretly proud of having created it. Now he knows how naïve he was, his simulation is, because reality…reality is…

…firing phasers, his crew is not in sight….

…gurgling pants in the distance, fear, resignation and pain filling his mind, stunning him….

…the ship in descent, his crew refusing to leave, wanting to go down together….

….a hand going limp, eyes losing their focus and light.

Vulcans have taught him control. His parents have taught him respect. The academy has taught him rulebooks.

Having friends has taught him fear.

* * *

10. Floor

Forty-eight victims on the _Enterprise_. Thirty-four on the _Yorktown_. Three-hundred fifty-six on the _Defiant_.

He runs the numbers through his head while Bones fills three glasses with an amber liquid, hands them out and sits with them.

He shouldn't get intoxicated.

Nevertheless, he takes the glass in his uninjured hand, he clinks glasses with them and he drinks. He tastes sharp alcohol and sweet sugar. They don't laugh or smile, they somberly sit on the floor in Jim's quarters, shaking, their knees touching.

He is hurt and tired and worn and he does not want to be anywhere but here.

* * *

Sorry, took a little longer^^ Anyways, here's the last part...even though I might add some random drabbles for fun. Hope you enjoyed!

Star Treck isn't mine


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